On EM algorithms and their proximal generalizations

Abstract

In this paper, we analyze the celebrated EM algorithm from the point of view of proximal point algorithms. More precisely, we study a new type of generalization of the EM procedure introduced in [Chretien and Hero (1998)] and called Kullback-proximal algorithms. The proximal framework allows us to prove new results concerning the cluster points. An essential contribution is a detailed analysis of the case where some cluster points lie on the boundary of the parameter space. © 2008 EDP Sciences SMAI.